NCDC: Lassa Fever kills 118 in three months

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 118 deaths from Lassa Fever over the past three months, highlighting the severity of the outbreak. The rising cases underscore the urgent need for preventive measures, early detection, and enhanced public health interventions to curb the spread of the disease. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and urge citizens to take necessary precautions to reduce transmission risks.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that 3,465 suspected cases of Lassa fever were recorded in Nigeria within the first three months of 2025. The disease has claimed 118 lives across 91 Local Government Areas in 33 states.

According to Sani Datti, Head of Corporate Communication at NCDC, who released a statement on Sunday, only 645 of these cases were confirmed, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.3%.

Datti further revealed that 20 healthcare workers contracted the disease.

He specified that eight of the affected health workers were from Ondo, four from Bauchi, one from Edo, two from Taraba, two from Gombe, and one each from Benue and Ogun states.

The statement also highlighted that, as part of its response efforts, NCDC deployed Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to 10 states—Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa—for a two-week intervention between January and March 2025. Due to the escalating situation in some areas, deployments in Edo and Taraba were extended by 10 and 7 days, respectively.

Additionally, the statement quoted NCDC’s Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, who stated that the agency has activated the Lassa Fever National Emergency Operations Centre (LF-EOC) at Response Level 2 to enhance coordination of outbreak control efforts.

"This activation facilitates improved collaboration among stakeholders, including federal, state, and local governments, as well as development partners. Furthermore, the agency has distributed critical medical supplies, such as personal protective equipment (PPEs) and treatment medications, to affected states. State-specific advisories have also been issued to guide prevention and control measures for Lassa fever," the statement read.

However, NCDC noted that its response efforts are being hampered by several challenges, including weak community-level surveillance, which delays early detection. Limited human and financial resources have also affected treatment, contact tracing, and active case searches at both state and community levels.

"In addition, treatment centers are facing staff shortages, and many patients delay seeking medical care, opting instead for self-medication and alternative treatments, which are often ineffective," Datti stated.

The statement further quoted the NCDC Director General as urging state governments to help cover treatment costs for Lassa fever and other similar diseases.

He also stressed the importance of private sector involvement in ensuring the availability of essential medical supplies and in raising public awareness about health-related issues.

He emphasized that preventing Lassa fever requires a collective effort. While the NCDC and state governments are leading the response, every Nigerian has a role to play in minimizing the spread of the virus.

"The agency reiterates the need for healthcare workers to consistently implement infection prevention and control (IPC) measures while maintaining a high level of suspicion for Lassa fever," the statement added.

Finally, the NCDC advised citizens to prioritize environmental hygiene and adopt practices that prevent rats from accessing homes, food, and utensils, as these remain the most effective ways to prevent the disease.

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Source: pmnewsnigeria‍